Car-seal.



L. s. mason.

CAR SEAL.

APPLICATION flLED JUNE 8, I915.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Immuina. wumna L. S. GIBSON.

CAR sm.

N FILED JU APPLlCATlO E 8. I9l5. 1,207,017. Patented Dec. 5,1916.

2 EEEEEEEEEEEE 2.

UNITE LEE SAMUEL GIBSON, 0F WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA.

CAR-SEAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

Application filed June 8, 1915. 7 Serial No. 32,895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEE SAMUEL GIBsON, of the city of Winnipeg, in the Province of Manitoba, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Seals, of which the following is the specification.

My invention relates to improvements in car seals and the object of the invention is to improve generally, the construction of the seal as shown and described in my prior United States Patent No. 1,132,006, dated the 16th day of March 1915, while still retaining the principal elements thereof and provide a more easily manufactured,

cheaper, stronger and more effective tamper proof seal, than that previously disclosed in such patent.

A further object of the invention is to provide a seal, the construction of which adapts it for identification marking, in such a manner that it is impossible to relock the seal, *afterbreaking, through tampering, without destroying the markings.

A still further object of the invention is to provide, in the seal, a guard which, while serving an important function in so far as the seal itself is concerned, serves also to prevent the seal, when attached to the customary fastening pin, from being pulled through the customary pin-receiving lugs.

Vith the above and certain other objects in viewwhich will be more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts hereinafter more particularly described and later pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my complete seal as it appears when snapped or closed. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed perspective view of the locking elements. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the box and contained parts, the contained parts being shown in side elevation. Fig. 4 represents a plan view-of the strap, opened up or flat. Fig. 5 represents an end view of-the box. Fig. 6 represents a face view of the guard, this figure being drawn to the same scale as Fig. 5. Fig. .7 represents across sectional view through the folded back end of the strap, the section being taken directly in advance of the wings. Fig. 8 represents a'longitudinal sectional view through a portion of the strap, the section being taken in the plane denoted by the line X-X Fig. 4. Fig. 9 represents a perspective view of a portion of a car door and jamb with attached parts, and as they appear when sealed with my seal. Fig. 10 represents a face view of the locking end of the seal, such view being the reverse to the position shown in Fig. 1.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

The seal comprises, in reality, two parts, a box or casing 1 and a locking member 2, the locking member extending into a strap 3.

The box, which is more or less rectangular in shape, has one end 1 thereof, permanently closed and the other end opened as shown at 1". This box is what might be termed a hollow drawn box, that is, it is made from a flat piece of material drawn to the required shape so that there are no joints. Obviously, this form of box is a considerable improvement over that disclosed in my prior patent wherein a jointed and soldered metal box is shown.

The locking member 2 is formed from a long strip of metal having one end bent backwardly on itself shown at 3 and the opposite end formed into a catch 3*.

The backturned portion t of the strap has the extremity thereof bent upwardly at 4 and is provided, more or less intermediate of its length, at one side, with a downwardly pressed locking wing 5 and has the opposite side cut away to present a notch 6 immediately opposite the wing.

That portion of the strap immediately beneath the backturned end 4; is supplied with an upwardly pressed locking wing 7, disposed immediately opposite the notch 6, and with a side notch 8 located inunediately opposite the wing Both the wings are of a U-shaped cross section, as best shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. This provides a very positive catch as will be later apparent, and also strengthens the wing structure. The wings are arranged such that their forward ends are in the same plane in the locking member 2.

The end of the strap, utilized for the catch 3* hereinbefor referred to, is contracted to present opposing stop shoulders 9 and 10 and is formed also with two similar wedge shaped side notches 11 and 12 which provide, in the catch, a locking head 13.

It is here pointed out that the bent back end of the locking member 2 is also contracted in width to provide two stop shoulders 1d and 15 similar to those 9 and 10.

The body of the strap is suitably impressed to form a downwardly extending cross rib 16 immediately adjoining the shoulders 14; and 15, and a further upwardly extending cross rib 17 immediately adjacent the shoulders 9 and 10. In the pressing of these ribs, I desire that the material be drawn so that it will break readily at the sides indicated by the reference numerals 18 and 19, which sides, it will be noticed, are alined with the shoulders. In other words, I desire that the weakest points of the seal be at the ribs so that one, in tampering with the seal, will readily break it at these points.

20 is an extending more or less rectangular guard suitably pressed to fit over the open end of the box. This guard. is constructed, preferably, from a highly tempered piece of steel and it is provided with a cross slot 21 of a length equal to the width of the opening 1*, and a depth considerably less than the depth of such opening. Actually, the slot 21 is designed to receive, snugly, three thicknesses of the material from which the strap is formed, while the interior of the box is designed to receive possibly five thicknesses.

In assembling the seal, the guard is slipped over the wing carrying or back bent end of the strap till it butts against the stop shoulders 14 and 15 and engages with the upturned extremity at of the end 1. The casing is then applied and butted against the guard and permanently fastened, by punching, (as shown at 22,) the material of the box being actually punched into the material of the contained strap, so that the strap cannot be pulled from the box.

To look the seal it is only necessary to insert the catch, through the slot in the guard, into the box, the catch actually entering the box between the turned end 4 and the underlying portion of the strap. In inserting the catch, the rib 17 forms a stop. The head of the catch, after passing into the box, engages with the presented faces of the wings which spring apart to allow the head to go into its final position, which is, at the inner ends of the wings. It is obvious that the instant this is accomplished, it is impossible to withdraw the head.

The additional depth given to the box, when compared with. the slot 21, is to accommodate the spreading action of the wings when the catch is being inserted.

In considering one tampering with this seal, it will be seen that it is practically impossible to enter the box to unlock it, such as by using what is commonly called a feeler, that is, a thin metal feeling strip.

As the slot 21 is designed to accommodate only three thicknesses of the material, there is no space left for the entrance of a feeler between the parts when the seal is locked, and it is only through the entrance end of the box that the lock can be approached. The cross ribs being adjacent the guard prevent any attempt to insert a feeler at the top or bottom of the seal.

The upturned end l on the top side and the rib 16 on the bottom side render it practically impossible for one to insertthe catch into the box in an improper manner, as the only place that one could get the catch through, would be, obviously and most naturally, between the end 4 and the adj acent portion of the strap.

I have considered it advisable to show this seal as applied on a car and in this connection I wish now to refer to Fig. 9 of the drawings, showing a perspective view of the ordinary form of door locked and sealed with my seal. In this figure, 23 represents the usual outer closure door of a car and 24 the door jamb.

25 represents a locking plate permanently bolted to thej amb as indicated at 26 and provided with two outstanding lugs 27 and 28 which carry a vertically slidable retaining pin 29. The lower end of this pin, beneath the lug 27, is supplied with a longitudinally disposed slot 30.

31 represents a hasp connected to the door by means of a U-shaped bolt 32, permenently fastened to the door. It is to be noticed that the extending end of the hasp is outturned and is supplied with a vertically disposed slot 33.

In looking and sealing the car with my seal, the door is drawn closed and the pin raised up to admit the hasp, after which the pin is dropped to the position shown in the figure. The body of the hasp is contracted in front of the locking plate so that once the pin is inserted the door cannot be pulled open on account of the lugs engaging with the shoulders 34 and 35. After the hasp has been so fastened, the catch end of my seal is inserted through the slot 30 and then bent back and passed into the box, where it looks. The pin cannot be withdrawn once the seal is applied, with the result that the door cannot be opened.

In order to appreciate one feature of my guard, I might mention that the ordinary seal is passed through the slot 30 and the slot 33, prior to looking, as its construction is such that if it were only passed through the slot 30, the pin, with attached seal, could be pulled out bodily through the lugs. lVith my seal, if any attempt is made to pull out the pin, and in this connection it must be kept in mind that after continued use the parts wear considerably, the guard will catch against the underface of the lug 28 and cannot be pulled through the opening in such lug receiving the pin.

Considering any one tampering with the seal, there will be little doubt but that in manipulating it, it will break at either the point 18 or 19. This will immediately put the seal out of commission. If, then, the party should attempt to get the broken end of the seal in the end of the box, in any way, he will find that the end of the broken piece is wider than the opening in the box and also, that the rib is in the road. If he should then cut the broken end of the seal to take off the rib and pare the sides to narrow it, he will find it necessary to destroy the seal indexing characters. These, as now ex plained, are impressed on the seal adjacent the ribs and as shown in the drawings. On one side of the seal (see Fig. 1), I have placed what is called a station prefix and serial number, in the present instance A312405, while on the other side (see Fig. 10) I have placed the initials of the railroad using the seal, in the present instance C. P. R.

It is obvious that an agent of the railroad will quickly detect any irregularity in these indexing characters, that is, if they are cut or mutilated in any way, with the result that any tampering with the seal will be quickly noticed and reported.

I have entered into rather a prolonged description of the values of the various features of this seal, but as certain of the parts are made in a specific manner to accomplish a certain result, I hate considered it advisable, to the complete understanding of the seal, to give an explanation of the advailitages accomplished by these novel detai s.

WVhat I claim as my invention is 1. In a car seal the combination with an open ended hollow box and a locking member having one end permanently fastened within the box and the other end formed into a catch insertible within the box, of a guard mounted on the inserted end of the locking member adjacent the open end of the box and constructed to admit of the entrance of the catch into the box.

2. In a car seal the combination with an open ended hollow box and a locking member having one end permanently fastened within the box and the other end formed into a catch insertible within the box, of a slotted guard located at the open end of the box and having the slot therein admitting of entrance of the locking member to the interior of the box.

3. In a car seal the combination with an open ended hollow box and a locking member having one end permanently fastened within the box and the other end formed into a catch insertible within the box, of a slotted guard located at the open end of the box and having the slot therein of a length equal to the width of the entrance opening to the box and of a width equal to twice the thickness of the material of the locking member.

4. In a car seal the combination with an open ended substantially rectangular receiving box, of a locking member having one end bent backwardly on itself and the ex tremity thereof bent upwardly and the other end formed into a. catch, both ends of the locking member being received within the box with the upstanding extremity of the backwardly turned end adjacent the open end of the box and a guard fitted with a slot, receiving the locking member and located between the upstanding end of the locking member and the adjacent open end of the box.

5. The combination comprising, an open ended receiving box, a locking member having one end permanently fastened within the box and the other end formed into a catch contracted in respect to the body of the member to form side shoulders and insertible in the box and having a cross rib constructed between the shoulders to effect the .weakening of the material of the catch and having relatively large indexing characters thereon adjacent the rib and a guard inserted on the catch between the shoulders thereof and the open end of the box.

6. In a car seal, a locking member having one end formed into a catch contracted in respect to the body of the locking member to present opposing side shoulders and having a cross rib extending between the shoulders and designed to effect the weakening 3f the locking member between the shoulers.

Signed at Winnipeg this 14th day of April, 1915.

LEE SAMUEL GIBSON.

In the presence of- G. S. Roxnnnon, S. SILVERT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0. 

